The ruling class in 1984's Oceania consists of the inner party, or the brain of the
government, and the outer party, which included civil servants such as; engineers,
teachers, and functionaries of state. The party was named Ingsoc.
This ruling class made up of only 15% of the
population. The other 85% consisted of the proles or workers. It is said
that only the proles and the animals are really free in 1984. It was not
the 85% working class citizens who had anything to fear in their society,
in fact they really did not know any better. Rather it was the outer
party who feared the inner workings and manipulations of the inner party.
The phrase "Big Brother is Watching" really would only be understood by
those educated citizens of the outer party. They where the ones also
feared by the inner party. This seems confusing, but is really quite
simple. The outer party had the intelligence to question the laws, and
institutions of the government. These questions are what the inner party
feared. So in order to guarantee and maintain order the inner part would
always be watching the outer party.
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